Pilot trial of a self-compassion intervention to address adolescents’ social media-related body image concerns

Abstract

Introduction: Self-compassion interventions reduce body dissatisfaction in adults but have not been extensively investigated in adolescents. A novel 5-week Digital Social Media Adolescent Resilience Training intervention grounded in Gilbert’s (2010) Compassionate Mind Training was adapted to address adolescent’s social media-related body image concerns. Method: A convenience sample of 102 adolescents, 54 girls (53%), 48 boys (47%), aged 15–17 years (M=15.6, SD=0.46) were recruited from four mixed gender Irish Secondary Schools. Due to data loss because of Covid-19, analyses were conducted on data from 80 participants (24 boys, 56 girls). A mixed methods quasi-experimental design was used. Primary outcomes of self-compassion, self-criticism, social media comparisons and body image perceptions were quantitatively assessed at pre, post-intervention and 3-month follow up, while post-intervention focus groups qualitatively documented adolescents’ responses to the programme. Results: Qualitative data indicated that the programme was feasible and acceptable. Analyses revealed significant increases in body appreciation and body satisfaction in the experimental group from pre- to post-intervention. Girls exhibited significant increases in body appreciation and reductions in self-criticism, while boys exhibited increases in body satisfaction. Improvements in body satisfaction were observed at 3-month follow up. Conclusions: Findings indicate that self-compassion has potential to improve adolescent’s body image perceptions, but further research is warranted.